Here are 8 signs that you could be a victim of identity theft

New York’s Staten Island. Millions of Americans fall victim to scammers every day who try to take advantage of the labor that others have put in to pay for their life.

Identity theft has no boundaries, and anyone can fall victim to it.

Residents of the borough recently received guidance from Staten Island District Attorney Michael E. McMahon on how to identify if they have been the victim of identity theft and how to prevent it.

Particularly, identity theft targets a person’s financial or personal data. This may entail using someone’s Social Security number to open accounts and make transactions, or it may entail stealing credit or debit card information.

Identity Theft Awareness Week, which runs from January 27 to January 31, was established by the Federal Trade Commission and law enforcement authorities to inform, educate, and increase public awareness of the strategies that scammers are using.

According to McMahon, time is of the essence in any identity theft or fraud occurrence, and notifying law authorities right away is essential to lessening the financial effect and holding criminals accountable in court.

Here are eight indicators that you may have been the victim of identity theft:

• 
  Credit card accounts and bills sent to your address under a different name
  
• 
  Bills for items that you did not purchase
  
• 
  Charges on your credit card that you did not make
  
• 
  Decrease in your credit score
  
• 
  Rejection of load applications
  
• 
  Missing mail or discontinued service
  
• 
  Random medical bills or letters from your health insurance provider
  

My office is still dedicated to safeguarding Staten Islanders and their personal data from scammers during Identity Theft Awareness Week! Learn how to spot identity theft, how to protect your data, and what to do if you become a victim by reading the information below.image.twitter.com/Zmhr8P44ib